Jesse Howarth Building, Manchester Museum Oxford Road, Manchester

The extension of the Museum along Oxford Road to provide proper accommodation mainly for the Egyptological collection given by Mr Jesse Haworth. Works continued 1911-27 (the later part completed by Michael Waterhouse)

 THE UNIVERSITY, MANCHESTER - The buildings here illustrated represent an extension the University frontage in Oxford-street. The gable on the left forms the angle of the existing museum block. The central building in the picture is a museum building which is now actually in course of erection, while the gable shown on the right of the view indicates an intended extension in the future which, by balancing the main feature of the old buildings, will bring the whole group into harmonious connection.  The archway connecting the new buildings with the old spans what formerly the entrance to Coupland-street, which is now being closed for traffic. The earlier buildings were, or course, the work of the late Mr. Alfred Waterhouse, R. A. Those now proceeding are designed by Mr. Paul Waterhouse, who has endeavoured, while maintaining personal characteristics, to work in a style agreeing closely with the earlier buildings, but providing, as required in the present scheme, a larger amount of light and a smaller area of stonework. The whole of the front will be faced in stone of a quality similar to that previously used; but that at the back, where the adjoining buildings are faced with brickwork, there will be adopted a brick treatment, with large metal casements.  The plans will sufficiently explain the location of the departments. The contract has been let to Messrs. G. Macfarlane and Son, and the superintendence is entrusted to Mr. Knowles, the clerk of works to the University. [Building News 7 July 1911 page 15]

THE EXTENSION TO MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY MUSEUM – The University Museum Extension will be opened today by Mt Jesse Howarth today. The new wing is a continuation of the old museum block in Coupland Street, which was the boundary of the old building and is now enclosed in the College grounds, has been bridged over to connect the old and new buildings. For architectural reasons, the new building is lower than the old. In order to make a bold finish to the frontage, the architect has designed the block which is yet to be built (shown at the extreme right of the drawing) to the height of the original buildings. In order that the present bold skyline of the University may not be unnecessarily cut up, the architect Mr Paul Waterhouse, has lighted the upper storeys by means of glass cunningly contrived between the lead rolls of the roof, instead of by the more familiar dormer windows. [Manchester Guardian 30 October 1912 page 7]

Reference        Building News 7 July 1911 page 15 and plans
Reference        Building News 1 November 1912 page 633
Reference        Manchester Guardian 30 October 1912 page 7 with illustration
Reference        Manchester Guardian 31 October 1912 page 6 – opening ceremony